U.S. patent application number 13/858744 was filed with the patent office on 2013-10-10 for vehicle seat.
This patent application is currently assigned to Faurecia Autositze GmbH. The applicant listed for this patent is FAURECIA AUTOSITZE GMBH. Invention is credited to Bernd ROMER, Jong-Seok Yun.
Application Number | 20130264854 13/858744 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49291718 |
Filed Date | 2013-10-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130264854 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ROMER; Bernd ; et
al. |
October 10, 2013 |
VEHICLE SEAT
Abstract
Vehicle seat has at least a front foot, a rear foot, a four-link
configuration having four link parts coupled to one another via
hinge points, and a compensation spring. Front foot and rear foot
are accommodated in a longitudinal rail in a longitudinally
adjustable manner, and the rear foot is releasable from the
longitudinal rail after unlocking. Vehicle seat is movable forward
from a seating position having a locked rear foot, after rear foot
is unlocked, into a functional position with adjustment of
four-link configuration, and with at least temporary assistance
from the compensation spring. Vehicle seat has a support rod which
is adjustably accommodated on the four-link configuration, and in
the forward functional position the support rod comes into contact
in front of the front foot, and in particular on the longitudinal
rail.
Inventors: |
ROMER; Bernd; (Ludwigsburg,
DE) ; Yun; Jong-Seok; (Gyeonggi-do, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FAURECIA AUTOSITZE GMBH |
Stadthagen |
|
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
Faurecia Autositze GmbH
Stadthagen
DE
|
Family ID: |
49291718 |
Appl. No.: |
13/858744 |
Filed: |
April 8, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/317 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/12 20130101; B60N
2/3031 20130101; B60N 2/3065 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/317 |
International
Class: |
B60N 2/12 20060101
B60N002/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 7, 2012 |
DE |
10 2012 008 533.8 |
Mar 15, 2013 |
DE |
10 2013 102 673.7 |
Claims
1. Vehicle seat, comprising: a) a front foot, a rear foot, a
four-link configuration having four link parts which are coupled to
one another via four hinge points, and a compensation spring; b)
the front foot and the rear foot being accommodated in a
longitudinal rail in a longitudinally adjustable manner, and the
rear foot being releasable from the longitudinal rail after
unlocking; c) the vehicle seat being movable forward from a seating
position having a locked rear foot, after the rear foot is
unlocked, into a forward functional position with adjustment of the
four-link configuration, and with at least temporary assistance
from the compensation spring; and d) a support rod being provided
which is adjustably accommodated on the four-link configuration,
and in the forward functional position the support rod comes into
contact in front of the front foot.
2. Vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein: a) the support rod
comes into contact on the longitudinal rail.
3. Vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein: a) one of the four
link parts is a lower backrest part, and the support rod is hinged
to the lower backrest part.
4. Vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein: a) one of the four
link parts is a seat part, and the support rod is forcibly guided
on the seat part.
5. Vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein: a) the support rod
is forcibly guided in an elongated hole-bolt engagement.
6. Vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein: a) no locking or
jamming is provided between the linkparts of the four-link
formation.
7. Vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein: a) the four link
parts of the four-link configuration include: i) a seat part, a
backrest part, a receiving part, and a coupling rocker; ii) the
seat part is connected to the receiving part at a first, lower
hinge point and is connected to the backrest part at a second,
upper hinge point; and iii) the coupling rocker is connected to the
receiving part at a third, lower hinge point and is connected to
the backrest part at a fourth, upper hinge point.
8. Vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein: a) one of the four
link parts is a seat part; b) one of the four link parts is a
coupling rocker; and c) the compensation spring is provided between
the seat part and the coupling rocker.
9. Vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein: a) one of the four
link parts is a receiving part; and b) the receiving part is
directly or indirectly hinged to the front foot at a fifth hinge
point and is pivotable within an angular range at the fifth hinge
point; and c) the receiving part has contact surfaces for contact
with one of the longitudinal rail and the front foot.
10. Vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein: a) the front foot
is lockable in at least one longitudinal position by a locking
apparatus.
11. Vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein: a) one of the four
link parts is a backrest part; and b) the rear foot is one of
formed on and rigidly mounted on the backrest part.
12. Vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein: a) after the rear
foot of the vehicle seat is unlocked from the longitudinal rail by
the user, the vehicle seat is forwardly pivotable by a force in the
forward direction, with assistance by the compensation spring,
until reaching a middle position, and is subsequently automatically
adjustable from the middle position into the forward functional
position.
13. Vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein: a) after the rear
foot of the vehicle seat is unlocked from the longitudinal rail by
the user, the vehicle seat is forwardly pivotable by a force in the
forward direction, with assistance by the compensation spring,
until reaching a middle position, and is subsequently automatically
adjustable from the middle position into the forward functional
position.
14. Vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein: a) after the rear
foot of the vehicle seat is unlocked from the longitudinal rail by
the user, the vehicle seat is forwardly pivotable by a force in the
forward direction, with assistance by the compensation spring,
until reaching a middle position, and is subsequently automatically
adjustable from the middle position into the forward functional
position.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority of German patent
application no. 10 2013 102 673.7, filed Mar. 15, 2013, and this
application claims the priority of German patent application no. 10
2012 008 533.8, filed Apr. 7, 2012, and each of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] This application relates to applicant's concurrently filed
U.S. application Ser. No. (applicant's ref. 7884).
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The invention relates to a vehicle seat having a front foot,
a rear foot, a four-link configuration having four link parts which
are coupled to one another via four hinge points, and a
compensation spring
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] These types of vehicle seats allow on the one hand a
longitudinal adjustment on a longitudinal rail, and on the other
hand, an adjustment between a seating position and a completely or
partially folded forward functional position, which may be a cargo
or easy entry position, for example.
[0005] For this purpose, the vehicle seat has a four-link
configuration having four link parts and four hinge points which
connect the link parts. An angled seat part and a backrest part,
for example, are generally provided as link parts, the seat part
being provided for accommodating a seat cushion, which may also be
supported on the lower area of the backrest part. The backrest part
may represent the entire backrest or a lower portion of the
backrest. In these types of articulated structures, for example a
lower receiving part, which is generally rigidly coupled to a front
foot or which itself represents the front foot, and a coupling
rocker between the receiving part and the backrest part, for
example, are used as additional link parts.
[0006] In addition to its front foot, the vehicle seat is generally
accommodated with a rear foot in the longitudinal rail, whereby,
for example, the front foot may be lockable in the longitudinal
positions. The rear foot is accommodated with a locking apparatus
on the longitudinal rail, which may be unlocked for folding or
pivoting forward.
[0007] The pivot motion from the seating position initially leads
in a first upward partial path into a middle position, and is
generally assisted by a compensation spring so that the user does
not have to overcome the entire weight of the seat. This is
followed by a further partial path into the functional position,
which may occur completely or partially automatically, for
example.
[0008] For this purpose, the compensation spring is provided
between two parts of the four-link configuration, for example
between the coupling rocker and a suitable location on the seat
part, and is already tensioned in the seating position.
[0009] However, production-related tolerances in the individual
components, in particular also the front foot and rear foot and
their locking apparatuses, generally result in a certain play in
the individual parts of the four-link configuration. In particular,
the action of the compensation spring results in twisting of the
link parts of the four-link configuration having tolerances. This
may cause, for example, twisting of the feet in the longitudinal
rail, in particular also tilting of the rear foot in the
longitudinal rail, for example. Such tilting of the feet may result
in interfering resistance during the longitudinal adjustment and in
the sliding motion, and the seat may jerk and become jammed.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] An object of the invention is to provide a vehicle seat
which provides ease of operation and reliable adjustability between
the positions.
[0011] This object is achieved by a vehicle seat according to claim
1. The subclaims describe preferred further embodiments.
[0012] Thus, according to the invention a support rod is provided
which is adjustably accommodated on the four-link configuration. In
the front functional position, the support rod comes into contact
in front of the front foot. This contact may occur in particular on
the longitudinal rail.
[0013] The support rod is preferably hinged to the lower backrest
part, and also is preferably forcibly guided on the seat part.
[0014] According to one preferred embodiment, the support rod is
forcibly guided in an elongated hole-bolt engagement.
[0015] The invention thus provides and makes possible several
advantages:
[0016] In the functional position, further support is provided by
the support rod in addition to the front foot, thus stabilizing the
position. There is high resistance to acceleration forces in the
direction of longitudinal acceleration, i.e., in the event of
acceleration or a rear-end collision, and also in a braking
operation or a front-end collision.
[0017] The forcible guiding makes possible a defined adjustment
without significant rattling. A defined positioning of the support
rod is made possible. The support rod may thus be moved into a
position, also in the normal use situation, which does not
interfere, and which possibly even has a stabilizing effect.
[0018] There is preferably no jamming or locking of the link parts
of the four-link configuration with respect to one another; high
stability is already achieved by the support rod. Thus, a lock-free
form of the link parts of the four-link configuration with respect
to one another is present.
[0019] As the lower link part, a receiving part is advantageously
provided which is not a part of the front foot or rigidly coupled
to the front foot, but, rather, is hinged to the front foot. The
receiving part thus has a hinge point having the seat part, for
example, and another hinge point having the coupling rocker, in
addition to a hinge point for a small pivot motion on the front
foot. In particular a very small angular range of the pivot motion
on the front foot of less than 5.degree., preferably less than
1.degree., may thus be provided. For this purpose, the receiving
part advantageously has a rear and a front contact surface by means
of which the receiving part in each case comes to rest on the
longitudinal rail at the end of an angular range, or also on the
front foot. The receiving part may thus in particular also be
angled or curved.
[0020] Rattling of the four-link configuration, in particular also
of the rear and/or front lock(s) on the longitudinal rail, may thus
be effectively prevented. However, no tilting or jamming in the
longitudinal rail occurs.
[0021] This stability is improved due to the receiving part, since
the receiving part is able to absorb force via its contact surface
or in addition to the front foot.
[0022] The invention is explained in greater detail below with
reference to the appended drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle seat according to the invention in
the seating position;
[0024] FIG. 2 shows the inventive vehicle seat of FIG. 1 after the
rear foot has been unlocked and forward folding has begun;
[0025] FIG. 3 shows the vehicle seat in the completely
forward-folded functional position; and
[0026] FIG. 4 shows the adjustment of the vehicle seat from the
seating position into the functional position, together with a
diagram illustrating the operating force to be applied, with and
without a compensation spring in the positions.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] A vehicle seat 1 according to the invention is illustrated
only partially in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is illustrated completely in
FIGS. 3 and 4, for example. The vehicle seat 1 is longitudinally
adjustable on a longitudinal rail 2, and is lockable in each of its
longitudinal positions. According to FIG. 4 the vehicle seat 1 is
adjustable between a seating position shown in FIG. 1 and a
functional position shown in FIG. 3; in principle, these various
positions may be assumed in any longitudinal position if the
vehicle seat 1 at this location is not prevented from being
adjusted, for example by another seat or an object.
[0028] The vehicle seat 1 according to the invention has a lower
backrest part 3, a front foot 4, a seat part 5, and a coupling
rocker 6. On the front foot 4 a receiving part 8 is mounted so as
to be pivotable at a pivot point 9. A rear foot 10 is formed at the
lower end of the lower backrest part 3. The front foot 4 is
lockable in the longitudinal rail 2 via a locking apparatus 4a, not
illustrated here in greater detail, and is unlockable by an
unlocking lever 12 to be activated by the driver, so that after the
unlocking, the entire vehicle seat 1 is adjustable in the
longitudinal direction. The rear foot 10 is releasably locked in a
locking apparatus 10a which is unlockable by a second unlocking
lever 14 in order to pivot the lower backrest part 3 upwardly after
the unlocking.
[0029] The seat part 5 is hinged to the receiving part 8 at a first
hinge point 15, and is hinged to the lower backrest part 3 at a
second hinge point 16; the coupling rocker 6 is hinged to the
receiving part 8 at a third hinge point 17, and is hinged to the
lower backrest part 3 at a fourth hinge point 18. A four-link
configuration 20 is thus provided, having the following four link
parts: backrest part 3, seat part 5, coupling rocker 6, and
receiving part 8, as well as the hinge points 15, 16, 17, 18, as is
also apparent in particular from FIG. 2.
[0030] Thus, after the rear foot 10 has been unlocked, according to
FIG. 2 the lower backrest part 3 is pivoted upwardly and forward,
with guiding by the four-link configuration 20. Since the receiving
part 8 is not fixed to the front foot 4, but, rather, is pivotable
about its hinge point 9 in an angular range of al =0.7.degree., for
example, there is no fixed coupling of the four-link linkage 20 on
the front foot 4.
[0031] Between the seat part 5 and the coupling rocker 6, a
compensation spring 22 is suspended as a pretensioned tension
spring, and thus pulls the quadrangle, i.e., the four-link linkage
20, shown in FIG. 2 upwardly into the upright position; the
compensation spring 22 thus acts in such a way that the coupling
rocker 6 is pivoted upwardly about its hinge point 17. The
compensation spring 22 is thus used for partial compensation of the
inherent weight of the vehicle seat 1, and thus simplifies the
adjustment motion by the user according to FIG. 4, from the seating
position shown at the right into the functional position, as is
also apparent in particular from the diagram in FIG. 4. The diagram
schematically shows the force to be applied by the user by pushing
the top backrest 23 forward from the rear, on the one hand in the
curve a without the compensating effect of the compensation spring
22, and on the other hand in the curve b with this compensating
effect of the compensation spring 22. An upper backrest part 23 is
mounted on the lower backrest part 3, for example in an adjustable
articulated joint, or in a rigid manner. The user thus pushes with
a force F on the upper backrest part 23, for example at the upper
edge thereof beneath a headrest 24, thus pivoting the four-link
linkage 20 upwardly and forward according to the quadrangle
illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0032] The lower curve b in the diagram in FIG. 4 shows that the
force F to be applied by the user, from the seating position on the
right into the subsequent intermediate position and the subsequent
(third from the right) middle position of the vehicle seat 1,
remains essentially constant, and drops to zero only as the middle
position is approached. In contrast, without compensation a very
high force F must be applied, which subsequently drops steeply
toward the middle position.
[0033] Going further from the middle position into the functional
position shown at the far left in FIG. 4, in both curves the
algebraic sign of the force reverses; i.e., the vehicle seat is
automatically moved into the functional position, since in this
case its center of gravity drops; the compensation spring 22 acts
approximately in the opposite direction, so that arrival in the
functional position, i.e., the locking, also causes a slight
deceleration. Thus, upon the subsequent resetting from the
functional position shown at the left in FIG. 4 into the middle
position, it is once again necessary for the user to apply the
appropriate force, whereupon the seat is subsequently automatically
placed in the functional position.
[0034] The compensation spring 22 assists with the force to be
applied by the user by means of a small lever length, i.e., close
to the joints 15, 17; the compensation spring 22 should therefore
be formed with a correspondingly large elastic force, and already
acts in the locked seating position in FIG. 1. Since all parts of
the vehicle seat are engineered with production-related tolerances,
this force by the compensation spring 22 also causes twisting or
tilting of the components with respect to one another, which,
depending on the tolerance, may initially also result in jamming of
the front foot 4 and/or the rear foot 10 in the longitudinal rail
2.
[0035] In the two end positions, i.e., the seating position in FIG.
1 and the functional position in FIG. 3, stable positions are
achieved.
[0036] To this end, in FIG. 3 a support rod 46 comes to rest on the
base, i.e., the longitudinal rail 2, in front of the front foot 4.
The support rod 46 has an elongated hole 47 in which a bolt 48 of
the seat part 5 is accommodated in a longitudinally adjustable
manner; in addition, the support rod 46 is hinged at a link part 49
of the lower backrest part 3; this link part 49 is apparent in
FIGS. 1 and 3, and otherwise is partially concealed in the figures.
Thus, when the four-link linkage 20 is adjusted according to the
transition from FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the link part 49 and the
elongated hole guide result in forcible guiding of the support rod
46, which in the front position in FIG. 3 causes the support rod 46
to rest on the base, i.e., the longitudinal rail.
[0037] In the functional position in FIG. 3, further support and
thus stabilizing of the position are achieved by the support rod 46
in addition to the front foot 4. There is high resistance to the
force of acceleration in the direction of longitudinal
acceleration, i.e., in the event of an acceleration or a rear-end
collision, and also in a braking operation or a front-end
collision. This stability is improved due to the receiving part 8,
since the receiving part 8 is able to absorb forces via its contact
surface 8a or 8b in addition to the front foot 4.
[0038] Acceleration forces of 1 g (gravitational force) in each
case may be captured in any direction. The support rod 46 loses
contact with the longitudinal rail 2 only upon acceleration forces
of 1 g from the front.
[0039] While this invention has been described as having a
preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further
modifications, and uses and/or adaptations of the invention and
following in general the principle of the invention and including
such departures from the present disclosure as come within the
known or customary practice in the art to which the invention
pertains, and as may be applied to the central features
hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the
invention.
* * * * *